A UEM Edgenta Berhad employee undergoing on-site screening at her workplace on June 1. UEM Edgenta is the first company to organise an on-site HSP programme for workers. – RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
A HEALTHY workforce is a productive workforce.
With that in mind, the Social Security Organisation has implemented its enhanced PERKESO Health Screening Programme (HSP) from May 16 to Dec 31 this year.
HSP was first introduced by PERKESO in 2013 to offer free health screening for early detection of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among workers.
PERKESO chief executive Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed says the programme is aimed at initiating health screening awareness among workers, early detection of NCDs, prevention of invalidity and early death due to NCDs, and to promote a healthy lifestyle with awareness of the NCDs. Examples of NCDs, which is also known as lifestyle diseases, include heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Under Budget 2023, PERKESO received a matching grant totalling RM70mil (RM10mil from the Finance Ministry, RM60mil from Perkeso) from the government to implement health screening among workers post Covid-19.
Therefore, HSP version 3.0 is introduced to offer a new and enhanced health screening initiative for the workers and it allows them to obtain their latest health status especially after the pandemic.
Under HSP 3.0, the average cost of screening (made available by PERKESO) is RM135 per person, while it is RM265 for women (additional costs due to pap smear and mammogram).
“More than 2.2 million workers are eligible for health screening under HSP 3.0, which is provided free of charge,” Dr Mohammed Azman says.
He says HSP 3.0 is offered to all eligible workers including those who have undergone health screening under the previous HSP.
“This time around, new parameters have been added to HSP 3.0 for early detection of more NCD risk factors, such as mental health screening, cholesterol, liver and kidney screening, HbA1c test for diabetes, cancer blood tests as well as breast and cervical cancer screening for female employees.”
Prevention better than cure
According to the Prevention, Medical, and Rehabilitation Division of PERKESO, which is in charge of the health screening programme, in 2022 a total of 23,174 PERKESO contributors became invalid or passed away due to NCDs.
This means an average of 63 NCD-related invalidity or death cases are reported PERKESO daily.
Prevention, Medical, and Rehabilitation Division head Dr Azlan Darus says those who are invalid due to NCDs would be unable to work permanently. He added that the data from 2013 to 2021 paints a worrisome picture.
Of the 600,000 workers who have undergone HSP from 2013 to 2022, 35% were found to be obese, 27% have hypertension, 9.5% have diabetes, and 61% have high cholesterol.
With the need for more definitive tests, new parameters are added into HSP 3.0 for early detection of more NCDs risk factors.
“Previously, the pap smear and mammogram can screen for tumour markers in women; now, the new parameters can also screen for tumour markers in men as well” sayd Dr Azlan.
“This is a nudge. When u go for a health screening, the results are a nudge for you to take the next step.”
His advice to those who are reluctant or afraid to undergo the screening: “Early intervention is very important. It is not the end of things; it is a start to manage your health.
“It can be a self-revealing experience that empowers you to take care of yourself.”
SEHATi Corporate Dashboard
In 2022, PERKESO launched SEHATi as a new platform for HSP: the SEHATi Mobile application for PERKESO Insured Person, and SEHATi Portal for HSP Panels.
PERKESO also introduced the SEHATi Corporate Dashboard to enable employers to manage health screening for their employees under HSP.
Through SEHATi Corporate Dashboard, employers are able to use the following functions: obtain the list of eligible employees under HSP, check health screening usage status for each employee, access employees’ general health analysis and demography dashboard, and continuous monitoring of employees’ health.
For those who are worried about their employers finding out about their health condition, fret not. The company only gets an aggregate result, Dr Azlan assures.
“The results are confidential, the company only knows the overall health data of employees screened, not individual results.
“The data allows the company to take the necessary steps to ensure the health and wellbeing of their employees, such as by organising health programmes at the workplace.”
Some employers may only think in the short run about the cost they have to fork out for such health programmes.
However, the indirect cost is far greater when the workforce is unhealthy as it can lead to presenteeism or absenteeism, whereby employees show up for work without being productive because they are ill or they do not show up for work due to illness.
“Healthy workers mean increased productivity; this has been shown in many studies, in many companies,” Dr Azlan says.
For companies who are worried that HSP may affect the working time or the company’s production schedule, he says there are several ways HSP can be carried out.
“Companies can have on-site screening, schedule staff to go for screenings at the HSP panels via different time slots or have employees go on their own time, outside working hours.
“Hence, the company does not have to shut down or have its work schedule affected.”
HSP at the workplace
PERKESO encourages all employers to organise on-site health screening for employees to provide easy access for all eligible workers and encourage them to undergo health screening.
It is also time-saving as employees do not need to be present at the clinic for the health screening.
UEM Edgenta Berhad is the first company to organise an on-site screening under the HSP 3.0.
A total of 240 employees were screened at the on-site programme and 2,700 more to be screened by the end of the year.
UEM Edgenta Berhad HSSE (Health, Safety, Security & Environment) assistant Norizan Shamsuddin, 52, one of those who underwent the screening, lauded the on-site health screening for its convenience.
“Compared to doing health tests at a hospital where you need to search for parking and spend hours waiting for your turn and for the test results, this is very convenient. Tthe entire process (of on-site screening) was completed in an hour.
He says he and his colleagues are aware about the importance of health screenings. However, not all are as enthusiastic.
While Opus International (M) Bhd assistant manager Kanthima Nuin, 42, is health-conscious and goes for annual health checks, some of her colleagues are indifferent.
“Some feel like they don’t need it, some are afraid of the results,” she says.
Her advice to them: “Early detection and prevention is better. The company is taking good care of us, so we better take good care of ourselves too.
“Utilise the benefit offered. It is good to know about your health status and the results enables me to take the necessary steps to improve my health.”
UEM Edgenta Berhad Healthcare Solutions head and Edgenta Mediserve Sdn Bhd managing director Shaiful Subhan says the HSP is part of the multiple health and wellness programmes the company has for employees.
“We are an asset management company and our most important asset is our staff. There is no better maintenance than preventive maintenance.
“We look at it as investing in the wellbeing of our staff, which cannot be measured in dollars and cents.
“This is a free programme, so why not take advantage of it? Early detection would be better.
“We highly encourage other companies to take part in this programme and also other wellbeing programmes because it would benefit the company in the long run.”
For more information, contact PERKESO Customer Service at 1-300-22-8000 or email hsp@perkeso.gov.my
